Muralist opens Harvard studio to show work to public

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Even in winter, Sue Richard's garden will be in bloom.

"I wanted to enhance an entrance that could otherwise be kind of dreary," said Richards, who hired muralist Gabriel Karagianis. "He gave us three designs. One was ABCs, one was Disney, and the other was a cottage flower theme. I chose the latter, the yard is full of plants and flowers."

Richards Family Daycare, at 471 W. Jackson St. in Woodstock, is ablaze with color. There are sunflowers, mountains, a castle and a winding Oz-like road, stretching out beneath a sunlit sky. & lt;table width= & quot;50% & quot; border= & quot;0 & quot; cellspacing= & quot;5 & quot; cellpadding= & quot;0 & quot; align= & quot;right & quot; & gt; & lt;tr & gt; & lt;td & gt;

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OPEN HOUSE & lt;hr & gt;When: 7 p.m. to midnight Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. & lt;hr & gt;Where: 306 W. Front St., in Harvard, a block west of the train station in the former Starline building. & lt;/td & gt; & lt;/tr & gt; & lt;/table & gt; & lt;/td & gt; & lt;/tr & gt; & lt;/table & gt; & lt;/td & gt; & lt;/tr & gt; & lt;/table & gt;

"This is really unfolding as I'm going along," Karagianis said. "This is more experimental. I'm just trying to create. Luckily, Sue really trusts me. All I showed her was a black and white sketch."

Karagianis of Woodstock, 24, painted his first wall about five years ago.

He's completed several since, including one at Rosati's Pizza in Woodstock, one in the stairwell of the Woodstock Public House on the Square and jobs in a couple homes.

Karagianis painted Richards' mural using latex paint in about 12 hours - about three hours at a stretch. And that included sealing time.

"I like to paint really fast. I work six to eight hours a day in one sitting," Karagianis said. "I try to get it out. With the creative process, you never really know where it's going to take you."

Now he finds himself getting ready to host an open house at his studio from 7 p.m. to midnight on Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday.

The studio is at 306 W. Front St., in Harvard, a block west of the train station in the former Starline building.

Karagianis, who opened his studio in June, frequently paints into the morning; in some instances willing himself to sign a piece to end his compulsion to tinker with it.

"I'm going to have 20 paintings and drawings, all latex on scrap building materials," Karagianis said. "I've just had a lot of that paint at my disposal, and I really like to work really large. Also, I'm getting a lot of materials handed to me or I've been dragging them out of Dumpsters - plywood, tar paper, resin paper used for flooring and tile ...

"I think there is just something with found objects. There are so many things that are thrown away every day. To actually use them as a piece of art extends their life."

Dave Bliss, Karagianis' art teacher at Woodstock High School, is a friend - and a fan.

"He is very passionate about what he does. He has a high regard for the craftsmanship part of art," Bliss said. "He's outstanding. Ability-wise, as a senior, he was equal to me."

Karagianis scoffed at the notion. Bliss is a mentor whose classroom remains a familiar place. He often speaks to students about life as a struggling artist.

Still, he cannot fathom doing anything else.

"Since I was able to hold a pencil, I was drawing," Karagianis said. "I used to draw things like Medieval knights and Native Americans. It was a nice vacation from other things."

Karagianis thrives on making the ordinary extraordinary. Even a plain cement wall can provide a fanciful journey to an imaginary place.

"The rough texture required plenty of paint and a thick brush to cover. It's like I'm sticking a brush into someone's ear," Karagianis said with a smile. "It's an obstacle course. There are so many different problems to be solved... If I put a stroke down I don't like, it's not a mistake. It's just a problem and I must find the best way to fix it."

By KURT BEGALKA kbegalka@nwherald.com